Troubled pub is listed as asset to community

Last week the Mercury reported that Weston Town Council supported the application to list the Bristol House pub as an asset and made a recommendation to North Somerset.

This has now been accepted and the property, in Milton Road, will be included on the list of the town’s Successful Assets of Community Value for the next five years.

The regulars of the pub have been fighting to secure its survival since its owner, Enterprise Inns, submitted a planning application last year to extend it by one storey.

Campaigners saw this as a way to make the site more appealing for a takeover by supermarket giant Tesco and, even though the plan was rejected, the company has since appealed against that planning refusal, while the pub’s doors have closed for good.

The locals are now celebrating after receiving confirmation of the pub’s community asset status.

Mark Thyer, a member of the Save The Bristol House campaign, said: “This is fantastic for the pub, the landlords, the residents and of course North Somerset and Weston town councils.

“What a brilliant opportunity for the area to have such an honour given. Let’s hope Enterprise sees this as a positive thing and it re-opens the pub as soon as possible.”

The landlord has now left the premises and the pub is being advertised on Enterprise Inns’ website, asking for an annual rent of £17,000.

The group is now waiting on the outcome of the planning appeal.

A letter from North Somerset Council’s corporate services department told the group the owner could ask the authority to review its community listing.

It also stated the owner must not dispose of the freehold or grant a lease of 25 years or more without giving interested community groups the opportunity to put a bid together.

The Mercury approached Enterprise Inns for comment on the community asset approval but it failed to respond before the paper went to press yesterday (Weds).